Daniël in de leeuwenkuil 1645 - 1646

Curator: Here we have Christoffel van Sichem the Younger's "Daniel in the Lion's Den," an engraving dating from about 1645 to 1646. It's part of the Rijksmuseum collection. What strikes you about it initially? Editor: Well, the dense linework definitely sets a somber, almost claustrophobic tone. The artist chose engraving for its reproducible and detailed linear precision and tonal range. It would be interesting to study how it circulated and who it reached. Curator: Intriguing thought. The figure of Daniel, surrounded by these lions, becomes a powerful emblem of faith overcoming adversity. The lions themselves seem almost docile, contrasting sharply with the implied danger of their nature. Do you pick up on the story conveyed through imagery? Editor: Yes, definitely. Daniel, eyes to the heaven, his prayer saves him, so this reinforces a divinely sanctioned social order in a turbulent world. Angels overhead. The artist really leaned into that chiaroscuro effect—light against dark—it's like he's emphasizing faith as the light in the darkness. What can you tell me of this line and its use, as this is interesting to the nature of art production and skill. Curator: Good question. Sichem uses strong, decisive lines to carve out the scene. This isn’t just about depicting an event; it's about imbuing the story with drama. Note the varying thickness of lines to model form and shadow, almost sculpting the scene directly onto the paper. He likely would have studied printmakers, copying other techniques. The line would have come from intense concentration to use tools, as one mark affects the whole plate. Editor: Thinking about it from a more iconographic standpoint, Daniel appears in multiple guises here. Notice the background, how Daniel sits with the tablets under architecture? Sichem has him again, as he is experiencing in the pit below with the lions. This duality is so potent to think about how Daniel serves multiple functions in faith. Curator: I never looked at it that way! The artist is layering Daniel with even more stories in this image. He, therefore, has become not only Daniel of now, but all-encompassing Daniel. Editor: It certainly makes me appreciate how Van Sichem has integrated many angles of this legendary, biblical account into a work for paper. Curator: Absolutely. Considering his choices as an engraver, Van Sichem truly harnessed the medium to capture the essence of the story. Editor: For me, seeing how layered the narrative became has changed my perceptions about iconography overall.